Sole-protecting plate for shoes.



J. EDMAN.

SOLE PROTEOTING lLATE FOB, SHOES.

APPLIoATIoN FILED Dn0.11,19o7..

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

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.'OnN EDMAN, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR To OSCAR HUNDEBY, or MINNE- APOLIS, MINNESOTA.

SOLE-PVROTECTING PLATE y FOR SHOES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN EDMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Sole-Protecting Plates for Shoes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its obj ect to provide an improved device in the nature of a detachable metallic sole protector or reinforcement for shoes and boots, especially adapted to be worn by workmen who use a shovel, and to this end it consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

It is a well known fact that workmen who use a shovel or like tool force the same into the ground by stepping on the upper edge of the shovel blade. This action, continually repeated, not only rapidly Wears away the sole of the shoe, particularly in the vicinity of the instep, but strains the foot of the workman.

My improved detachable sole protector, so-called, is especially adapted for application to shoes and boots of such workmen, to prevent wearing and breaking` of the shoe sole, and to prevent straining and unnecessary tiring of the foot of the workman.

The invention, in its preferred form, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a view in side elevation, showing the improved sole protector applied to a shoe. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the sole protector removed from the shoe. Fig. 3v is a section taken on the line w3 w3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4L is a section taken on the line mt mt of Fig. 2.

The shoe is indicated as an entirety by .the numeral l. The sole protector 2 is preferably stamped from Sheet steel and is made to fit the instep and a considerable portion of the shoe sole. It is provided on its under side with longitudinally extended ribs 3 formed by pressing creases or corrugations into the body or plate portion of the protector 2. At its two longitudinally extend- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led December 11, 1907.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

Serial No. 406,059.

led and curved edges, the protector is formed with depressed serrated ribs 4L having upturned marginal flanges 5. Near its heel engaging portion the flanges 5 of the protector 2 are formed with strap passages G, and at their intermediate portions said flanges 5 are formed with similar strap passages 7.

In the device shown in the drawings, the protector 2 is provided at its heel engaging portion with a rigidly secured metal loop 8 that is adapted to embrace the heel of the shoe. This loop, while desirable in many uses, is not an essential feature of the invention and may be left off in many instances.

A buckle-equipped toe strap 9 is passed over the top of the protector 2 and through the passages 7 in the marginal flanges thereof. A buckle-equipped instep strap l0 is likewise passed through. the passages (5 of the said marginal flanges The strap l0 is preferably formed with a loop strap ll that is adapted to engage the heel portion of the shoe body to prevent the strap l0 from sliding down on the instep of the shoe.

When the protector is secured to a shoe or boot, as shown in Fig. l, it will be very securely held in working position. Vhen the workman presses a shovel into the ground by forcing the protector against the upper edge of the shovel blade the strain will be transmitted over the main portion of the shoe sole, and the instep of the wearer -will be protected from undue strains. Furthermore, the protector prevents rapid wearing or breaking of the shoe sole. The longitudinal corrugations tend to hold the protector against lateral slipping movementson the shovel blade, and the serrated ribs 4 tend to hold the protector against slipping across the shovel blade. The protector is highly efficient for the purposes above stated and, furthermore, is capable of other uses, such, for instance, as a reinforcement or sole protector for preventing undue wear of the shoe soles in traveling over rough or rocky roads. Also the device is of small cost.

What l claim is:

l. A sole protector for shoes and boots comprising a metal plate having longitudinal outer edge and intermediate ribs pressed from the body thereof, the outer of said ribs being serrated and the inner thereof Vteing appioximateiy smooth, Substantially as described.

A sole protector for shoes and boots comprising a sheet met-a1 plate4 Stamped into form and provided With longitudinal outei` edge and intermediate ribs and With upturned fianges at the outer kedges of said outer ribs, the Said 11p-turned anges having strap passages, and the Said outer ribs' being serrated, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aHiX my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN EDMANJ 

